Why a Booktrail?
1940s: A novel inspired by Jane Austen’s former home.
The Jane Austen Society
What you need to know before your trail
‘Hope can sometimes be just enough.’
It’s only a few months since the war ended but the little village of Chawton is about to be hit by another devastating blow. The heart of the community and site of Jane Austen’s cherished former home, Chawton estate is in danger of being sold to the highest bidder.
Eight villagers are brought together by their love for the famous author’s novels, to create The Jane Austen Society. As new friendships form and the pain of the past begins to heal, surely they can find a way to preserve Austen’s legacy before it is too late?
And there may even be a few unexpected surprises along the way
Locations
Reset- England - Hampshire - Chawton
- A: Jane Austen's House
- B: Chawton House
- C: St Nicholas Church
- D: Chawton Village Hall
Travel Guide
Step into the world of Jane Austen and Chawton
Chawton is a village and civil parish in Hampshire, England. The village lies within the South Downs National Park and is famous as the home of Jane Austen for the last eight years of her life.
The Austen society was founded in 1940 in order to raise funds to buy the cottage in Chawton where Jane Austen lived. It was home to the famous author, her mother and sister Cassandra.
The characters in the novel reflect those as you would find in the novels themselves. If you’ve read ‘Sense and Sensibility’, Persuasion’ and ‘Emma’ in particular you will find many of the settings and characters reflected in this novel. For example, there’s a farm laborer, a doctor, an actress, a school teacher. All with a love for Jane Austen and a deep desire to preserve the Jane Austen home and legacy where she spent the last eight years of her life.
A novel and a village which brings the love of Austen to the fore.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Jane Austen Society
Destination: Chawton Author/guide: Natalie Jenner Departure Time: 1940s
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